Open mike 21/04/2019
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- Further environmental mismanagement on the cards
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- Release: Labour supports urgent changes to emergency management systemLabour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...5 days ago
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- Release: Three strikes law political posturing of worst kindThe Government is bringing back a law that has little evidential backing just to look tough, Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...5 days ago
- Release: Government cuts unbelievably target child exploitation, violent extremism, ports and airpor...Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...5 days ago
- Three strikes has failed before and will fail againResurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...6 days ago
- Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...6 days ago
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- Release: Govt cuts doctors and nurses in hiring freezeCuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...1 week ago
- Fast-track submissions period must be extendedThe Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...1 week ago
- Release: Progress on climate will be undone by GovtNew Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...1 week ago
- Release: Dark day for Kiwi kids as a third of Govt cuts affect themNews that 1000 jobs at the Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki could go is devastating for future generations of New Zealanders. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Alarm as Government signals further blow to school lunchesMore essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...2 weeks ago
- Oranga Tamariki cuts commit tamariki to state abuseTe Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Quick, submit – stop Govt’s dodgy approvals billThe Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...2 weeks ago
- Government throws coal on the climate crisis fireThe Government’s policy announced today to ease consenting for coal mining will have a lasting impact across generations. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Public transport costs to double as National looks at unaffordable roading project insteadCancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Cost of living in Auckland still not a priorityA laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...2 weeks ago
- Te Pāti Māori to visit Queensland to strengthen ties with Māori in AustraliaTe Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...2 weeks ago
- Greens look to fast-track submissions on harmful lawThe Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt should stop making people’s lives harder and build more homesThe National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Melissa Lee missing in action on mediaThe action Melissa Lee promised to protect democracy and the media sector is missing, Media and Communications spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...2 weeks ago
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- Opportunity to build a more sustainable economyGreen Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...2 weeks ago
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- Missed opportunity but NZ will surely one day recognise the right to a sustainable environmentNew Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Don’t cut our lunches – clear message sent to GovernmentTens of thousands of people are demanding the Government commits to fully funding free and healthy school lunches. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Govt makes U-turn on Suicide Prevention OfficeLabour welcomes the Government’s U-turn on the closure of the Suicide Prevention Office, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...3 weeks ago
- CCC issues warning over further climate delayToday’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...3 weeks ago
- Luxon targets lame and lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...3 weeks ago
- Luxon targets are lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Commitment to disability communities missing from Govt prioritiesMinister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...3 weeks ago
- Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...16 hours ago - New sports complex opens in KaikoheRegional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...18 hours ago
- Diplomacy needed more than everForeign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...21 hours ago
- Anzac Commemorative Address, Buttes New British Cemetery BelgiumAmbassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...2 days ago
- Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk BairDistinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...2 days ago
- Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, TürkiyeMai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...3 days ago
- PM announces changes to portfoliosPaul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...4 days ago
- New catch limits for unique fishery areasRecreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...4 days ago
- Minister welcomes hydrogen milestoneEnergy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...4 days ago
- Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment BillThe coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...5 days ago
- Overseas decommissioning models consideredOverseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...5 days ago
- Release of North Island Severe Weather Event InquiryEmergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...5 days ago
- Justice Minister to attend Human Rights CouncilJustice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...5 days ago
- Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facilityAssociate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...6 days ago
- Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...6 days ago
- Government to introduce revised Three Strikes lawThe Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...6 days ago
- New diplomatic appointmentsForeign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...6 days ago
- Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and SomaliaNew Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...6 days ago
- Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho CollectiveMinister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...7 days ago
- Supporting better financial outcomes for KiwisThe Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...7 days ago
- Trade relationship with China remains strong“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...7 days ago
- PM’s South East Asia mission does the businessPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...1 week ago
- $41m to support clean energy in South East AsiaNew Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...1 week ago
- Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder listThe Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...1 week ago
- Judicial appointments announcedAttorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...1 week ago
- Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in SingaporeEducation Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...1 week ago
- Value of stopbank project proven during cycloneA stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...1 week ago
- Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visitForeign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...1 week ago
- Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac DayScience, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...1 week ago
- Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the PhilippinesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...1 week ago
- Government commits $20m to Westport flood protectionThe Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...1 week ago
- Taupō takes pole positionThe Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...1 week ago
- Cost of living support for low-income homeownersLocal Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...1 week ago
- Government backing mussel spat projectThe Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...1 week ago
- Government focused on getting people into workBenefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...1 week ago
- Clean energy key driver to reducing emissionsThe Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...1 week ago
- Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forwardThe Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...1 week ago
- Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic PartnershipPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...1 week ago
- Government consults on extending coastal permits for portsRMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...2 weeks ago
- Inflation coming down, but more work to doToday’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...2 weeks ago
- Government urged to hit the gas on revamp of road user charges
Infrastructure New Zealand is pushing for new road user charges to be brought in quicker to help relieve pressure on strained transport funding. ...9 hours ago - US student Palestine protests against Israel’s war on Gaza inspire global action
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...11 hours ago - Former Te Whatu Ora chairperson Rob Campbell criticises Health NZ's 'savings' directi...Rob Campbell said it shows "poor management" and is "frankly irresponsible". ...13 hours ago
- ‘To lead is to serve’ – Governor-General to call PM election in Solomon IslandsRNZ Pacific The race to form the next government of Solomon Islands could be a tight one, with no single party emerging from the election with enough seats to govern. Caretaker prime minister Manasseh Sogavare’s Our Party did the best, securing 15 out of the 50 seats in the House. ...13 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards – FastTrackWatch: The Case for the Government’s Fast Track BillAnalysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz) New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...14 hours ago
- NZ and Türkiye pledge cooperation during natural disastersThe two countries have "a long history of coming to each other's aid", including after the 2023 Turkish earthquakes, Winston Peters says. ...17 hours ago
- Waste not, want not: New series Food Waste Kitchen turns food trash into treasure
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...17 hours ago - Vaping regulations fight 'immeasurably harder' under coalition – campaignerFocus on Politics - Successive governments have claimed crack downs on youth vaping, but the bending and breaking of rules seems pervasive. ...17 hours ago
- Dog of the month: Scout, who is so independent she could be a catScout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...18 hours ago
- ‘I don’t know if we were brave or stupid’: Megan Alatini on changing reality TVMegan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...18 hours ago
- Behind the counter: Wellington shopkeepersA new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...20 hours ago
- Iranian Solidarity Group New Zealand Condemns Toomaj Salehi's Death Sentence And The New Aggres...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...21 hours ago - Short story: Calf Creek, by Anna Scaife
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...21 hours ago - Newsroom welcomes the Secret DiaryNewsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...21 hours ago
- I saw ‘The Sign’, and it opened up my eyes: All the fuss around Bluey, explainedTara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...22 hours ago
- Jessica Tater has ambition without bordersWorking as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...22 hours ago
- The island where people’s stories are paramountThere’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...22 hours ago
- Australian author leads silence protest over ‘blood debt’ owed to PapuansAsia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...23 hours ago
- Israel delays Gaza Freedom Flotilla departure with bureaucratic ‘block’Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...1 day ago
- Have New Zealanders really been ‘misled’ about AUKUS, or is involvement now a foregone conclusio...ANALYSIS: By Marco de Jong, Auckland University of Technology and Robert G. Patman, University of Otago When former prime minister Helen Clark spoke out against New Zealand potentially compromising its independent foreign policy by joining pillar two of the AUKUS security pact, Foreign Minister Winston Peters responded bluntly: On ...1 day ago
- Palestine protesters challenge TVNZ over Israeli ambassador’s ‘propaganda’Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...1 day ago
- Lynley Hood Opinion – Senator Fulbright must be spinning in his grave1 day ago
- Fast-track bill could affect NZ's reputation – Transparency InternationalThe ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...1 day ago
- We’re all feeling the collective grief and trauma of violence against women – but this is the pr...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...1 day ago
- Species living closely together in symbiosis is far older and way more common than you might thinkSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis. AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...1 day ago
- What is childhood dementia? And how could new research help?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...1 day ago
- Jobseekers get about $345 less than pensioners each fortnight. This gap is hurting, and is set to wi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...1 day ago
- Does fighting inflation always lead to recession? What NZ data tellsHere is what 60 years of New Zealand data shows us. ...1 day ago
- The government's 20 trips abroad in AprilThe government appears committed to overseas visits with 14 ministers and MPs in 18 countries this month. ...1 day ago
- Government unveils fetal alcohol guidelines, plan for diagnosis trainingThe government is promising to step up the response to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, promising to boost diagnoses and raise awareness. ...1 day ago
- Labor facing heavy defeat in Queensland, but faring better in federal pollsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...2 days ago
- Why the potential for another Donald Trump presidency is making Iran very nervousSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...2 days ago
- ‘The worst piece of law proposed since 1979’: Reactions to the Fast-track Approvals BillA brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...2 days ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘Cereal giving’ by Robin PeaceA poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...2 days ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 26The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38) A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...2 days ago
- Te Rūnanga O Ngāti Whātua Welcomes Commissioner's Decision Regarding Awataha MaraeThe Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...2 days ago
- We reconstructed landscapes that greeted the first humans in Australia around 65,000 years agoSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes. Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...2 days ago
- What do we lose when our old suburbs disappear?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, Parramatta Photo: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...2 days ago
- Does fighting inflation always lead to recession? What 60 years of NZ data can tell usSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImages fatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...2 days ago
- After spending $700,000 on pins for Covid-19 workers, department now cutting costsA government office that set aside millions for lapel pins for pandemic workers is now looking to cut back on spending. ...2 days ago
- ‘A hell of a lot of fun’: Our reviews of Chris Isaak’s dazzling Auckland showThe ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...2 days ago
- The Week in Politics: Days of drama and demotionsAnalysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...2 days ago
- Hear me out: All I want is a TrueBliss T-shirtTara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...2 days ago
- Solemn ANZAC dawn service at PNG’s Isurava battle memorialPNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...2 days ago
- Political editors panel: A reshuffle and the fast trackListen - RNZ's Jo Moir and NZ Herald's Claire Trevett dissect the demotion of two ministers and the PM's response on Morning Report. ...2 days ago
- After-hours clinics on verge of collapse in some regionsOverworked GPs have signalled they can no longer cover, while funding is falling short. ...2 days ago
- Oranga Tamariki Axes Specialist Māori Roles, Weakens Commitment To Te Ao MāoriThe PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...2 days ago
- China’s money only goes so far – Kokoda shows why history binds PNG and Australia in a far deepe...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...2 days ago
- We spoke to young people about sexual consent. They understand the concept, but don’t always ask i...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Waling, ARC DECRA Senior Research Fellow in Sex & Sexuality, La Trobe University BAZA Production/Shutterstock Sexual consent has been a major focus in Australia for the past few years. In early 2022 the federal government mandated consent education in ...2 days ago
- Longer-lasting ozone holes over Antarctica expose seal pups and penguin chicks to much more UVSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...2 days ago
- Granting legal ‘personhood’ to nature is a growing movement – can it stem biodiversity loss?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...2 days ago
- Will checking character references really help you find the best candidate for a job?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...2 days ago
- A guide to Wellington’s best BYO restaurantsWondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...2 days ago
- New rock art discoveries in Eastern Sudan tell a tale of ancient cattle, the ‘green Sahara’ and ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...2 days ago
- Paul Goldsmith starts as new Media Minister replacing sacked Melissa LeeThe media industry is "under pressure", Paul Goldsmith says, but he plans to plot a path forward as he takes up the difficult role. ...2 days ago
- Media industry sheds few tears for minister LeeThe sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...2 days ago
- Is NZ bringing in 'Indonesian coal every month to keep the lights on'?Analysis: The Resource Minister said it, but is it true and why does it matter? ...2 days ago
- More spending cuts needed to stablise government finances – economistThe government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...2 days ago
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Until the Davos crowd fund carbon capture and put their wealth into saving the planet we appear doomed. The deadliest sin… greed. Western culture has not lived with nature respectfully, it has raped and subjugated all the way. This has spread like a virus.
We need to become minimalists very quickly or perish along with the rest of Earths organisms.
David Attenborough is correct…10 short years to change.
This is exactly what Guy McPherson has been hammering for years but he is a ‘nut job’ but as soon as Attenborough comes to the same conclusion it’s now believable.
You are correct, but hopefully the Extinction Rebellion is underlining the emergency Kevin.
What's a conservative Nacionalista to do when confronted with a fired-up Jacinda ?
Is that a rhetorical question?
Re. Is that a thetorical question ?
"The term Nationalists or Nationals (nacionales) was coined by Joseph Goebbels following the visit of the clandestine Spanish delegation led by Captain Francisco Arranz requesting war material on 24 July 1936, in order to give a cloak of legitimacy to Nazi Germany's help to the Spanish rebel military.[2] The leaders of the rebel faction, who had already been denominated as 'Crusaders' by Bishop of SalamancaEnrique Pla y Deniel —and also used the term Cruzada for their campaign— immediately took a liking to it."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationalist_faction_(Spanish_Civil_War)
.. interesting how it became fashionable in other parts of the world.
What France has money for
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/19/opinion/notre-dame-fire-protests-gilets-jaunes-yellow-vests.html
Sex, Lies and Julian Assange
In this 2012 ABC Four Corners investigation, reporter Andrew Fowler goes to Sweden for a revealing look at the allegations of sexual crimes hanging over Julian Assange's head. This is compulsory viewing for anyone wanting to look objectively at the events leading to the current saga.
This 46 minute program can be viewed here
From Global Research
"There is no doubt whatsoever of the injustice and persecution of Assange by the world’s only hyper power, America, because Assange published details of US war crimes and corruption. Its that simple!
Being forced to seek refuge in an Embassy in London is a disgrace for Britain, a Country with a long tradition of fair play and justice.
"If, after watching this documentary, you believe anything else, you are easy pliable fodder for manipulation by what has become, totalitarian States. It means you never read and understood the writings of Aldous Huxley or George Orwell. It means you are ‘a sheeple’. If you can’t see through the fog of disinformation and propaganda, you have no idea of the concept of freedom"
My favourite part is where Assange is interviewed by the Swedish Police and tells the interviewer he's worried that the interview will be leaked to the press. The interviewer assures Assange he's not going to leak anything. Later, the interview is leaked. I expect the irony was totally lost on Assange, but no doubt the cops had a good giggle over the poetic justice of it.
Yes what a giggle , when the state justice system , with all its power ,breaches its own rules and acts against the "accused" who at this point is deemed innocent until proved guilty.
Thus queering the pitch for a fair trial
Oh its quite delicious to see the notion of justice dishonoured in such a way
Yes, it's almost as though the indiscriminate leaking of confidential information might not be an unalloyed good, or something.
That unintended humour in the documentary wasn't really all that funny, but it did lighten the mood a bit after all the rape apologia that preceded it. That stuff wasn't funny at all.
Apart from the point Francesca has made, there's quite a difference between the information the Swedish Police leaked and the information published by Wikileaks.
It's a shame you can't see that.
Is there any point in me spelling it out for you?
Probably not.
Quite a difference, yes. In this case, the leak was targeted, rather than a wholesale dump of confidential information that can put people's lives at risk.
Who/what were the ‘Swedish police’ targetting with their leak, and why?
What were they aiming to achieve?
Identity and motive(s) of the leaker are unknown (to me at least). Could be they were part of a devious black op to try and discredit Assange, could be someone was annoyed enough at Assange's arrogance to want to poke a needle in his puffed-up self-importance, could be one of them saw the irony in leaking the world champion leaker's confidential info. Could be just about anything.
"Assange's arrogance"
"his puffed-up self-importance"
"the world champion leaker"
I see where you're coming from…
"narcissist who cannot get beyond his own selfish interests" – Judge Snow
So why all the ‘fuss and bother’ over an arrogant puffed-up self-important selfish narcissist – they’re a dime a dozen, no?
Well, yeah – it's not like I'm the only one who's noticed.
You tell ’em PM; it's not a competition…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Assange#Honours_and_awards
And thanks to francesca for this fair link:
Could be a tabloid slipped a police IT tech a little something for any information on a prominent case.
Psycho
Care to elaborate?
Which bit? Seems likely the leak of Assange's police interview was targeted rather than a wholesale dump of police interviews to the papers, because there are no news stories about a wholesale dump of Swedish police interviews. Wikileaks, on the other hand, does just dump whatever's handed to it onto the Internet, and there are plenty of news reports of people put at risk by it.
So PM, please tell me who has been harmed and put at risk by Wikileaks dumps?
Anyone killed or jailed or tortured?Would be big news if that had happened
I can only name Assange himself as being at risk from Wikileaks dumps, particularly those outing war criminals
He was prepared to put Afghan contractors and their families in harms way and the prick deliberately smeared the reputation of a murder victim and was more then happy to prolong the family's anguish.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/sep/18/julian-assange-wikileaks-nick-cohen
https://www.thedailybeast.com/mueller-report-julian-assange-smeared-seth-rich-to-cover-for-russians?
"a reporter worried"
"Seth Rich" Assange was incredibly tight lipped about that,. He has never exposed a source, he had very little to say
Bill Binney, the architect of NSA who argued for targeted surveillance rather than scoop em all up had and has far more to say about Rich
https://medium.com/@markfmccarty/bill-binney-states-that-the-nsa-has-32-pages-of-communications-between-seth-rich-and-julian-54a2df5a0e5b
As does Seymour Hersh
https://powerhournation.com/investigative-reporter-sy-hersh-says-seth-rich-was-the-dnc-leaker/
If we didn't know it already the election of Trump and subsequent events shows that the truth can be far stranger than fiction.
Thanks for that Joe, always good to get the smears on whistleblowers and journalism out in the open.
Manning blew the whistle, not Assange.
Confirmation bias is the thread for you, joe…
All that time trawling the net has confirmed your bias…
Twisted.
Thank you One Two.
Thanks not necessary , maui…but I hear you…
J90's commentary is sub par as a rule…but that particular comment reeks of someone who needs to get outside more and vary the sources of sites visited…
J90 has linked to snopes article, today…which is a strong signal of how he has arrived at such a perspective where assange is not a whistleblower…but manning is…
Snopes is likely one of his speed dial sites…and is a red flag anytime you see a link to that site…
Bullshit one two – joe is a respected commenter with valuable information and insights – maui and you are not really much truck as commenters imo – just too negative all the time. It is funny watching maui without ed – sad when the organ grinder is missing alright.
All very subjective, eh marty…
Joes insights are most often limited to a single word…or a few words at times…
That possibly appeals to certain folks…
Based on your assessment of joe…how would you assess yourself?
Remember to factor in all of the abuse you've delivered…plenty of it…many many years worth…
Uh marty, heee's baaaaack. At least it looks like it. Check the first comment over on Confirmation Bias.
lol that's sad
Check the first comment over on Confirmation Bias.
Bring back Ed and bring back Paul? Doesn't that cause one of those space/time distortions that create big explosions in scifi movies?
or a few words at times…
Brevity, rather than arcane word salads and unfulfilled ellipses.
You should try it sometime, sport.
brevity you reckon, joe…
I doubt you believe that…I certainly don't…
The comment you made about assange/manning was as bad as your linking to snopes…
Running away from the Bigtree 'scum' question I asked you, spoke to your personality…
Eh…sport…
Bigtree 'scum' question
Proplaguers are scum. All of them.
#Proplaguers
Using a hashtag serves to illustrate where you've gone aray…
Here's what I reckon…
As a result of your extremely warped and lopsided reading habits…
Every single one of your social feeds is extremely warped…you get how it functions eh…surely…
So…you trigger fingered an (anti s*mitic smear) reaction and posted the bigtree tweet thread…before you bothered to cross read the background of what was going on to orthodox jewish community in Rockland County…and now elsewhere in NYC…
…because your extremely lopsided reading has warped you into such a twisted state…confirmation bias is unrecognizable to you…
I called you out…you ran…because I knew what you'd done…see above…
Refute it … go on…go for it…
yeah Joe is pithy one two – maybe if you didn't spend all your time abusing others you'd have something to say too. It seems like you write a lot of words and say very little. But it takes all sorts…
I'm the abuser…
Marty…shall I post your history of abuse back to you…again…
The apologies you used to tend were so contrived…because you need to convince yourself of being a good guy…
Long archived records of abusive insults on this site…you and the angry man club…says you've got it twisted…
So my comments go over your heads…handle it better…
We're not all the same, marty…some of us know more about certain subjects…
Simple 'maths' for you…nothing that warrants the abuse you hurl…bro…
…my comments go over your heads…
We're not all the same, marty…some of us know more about certain subjects…
It's like Clayton Weatherston had access to the Internet. Has anyone checked to make sure he's still serving his sentence?
You're not my bro you racist prick one two – still spilling your bile on people, still trying to be different to your reality, your sadness. Stop blaming others for your stuff one two – own it and it will put you on the track which leads to the road that will set you free. Believe and it will happen.
Edit @ PM – lol
Que?
I don't speak jabberwocky so best you translate.
The US Govt had no problem outting one of their own spies, Valerie Plame, and knowingly endangering her entire network just because her husband wrote a paper criticising the bullshit around Iraq.
So PM, please tell me who has been harmed and put at risk by Wikileaks dumps?
Not my job. I said "there are plenty of news reports of people put at risk by [Wikileaks dumping data without checking it first]." You can confirm that for yourself simply by Googling has wikileaks put people at risk.
As I said, there are plenty of reports in that results list, but this one makes for a representative example: Private lives are collateral damage in Wikileaks' document dumps
" You can confirm that for yourself simply by Googling has wikileaks put people at risk. "
Oh dear
And that the interwebs says it makes it true.
Where the hell did we find the truth before the internet came along. How did we cope??!
And that the interwebs says it makes it true.
Not even slightly. My claim was "there are plenty of news reports of people put at risk" and the truth of that is confirmed by a Google search, as I said. The veracity of the news reports is a different matter entirely. Do you dispute the news reports?
Who lives were at risk from the WikiLeaks dump?
I quite liked the bit at 14:10 where A's UK legal advisor talks about red notices vs orange notices. According to her, red notices are just for terrorists, and even ghaddafi only had an orange notice, so totes suss on that.
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpol_notice#Notice_types">Notice colour is about type of notice function, not severity</a>. Notices to provisionally arrest (red notice) are issued by the thousands every year. Ghaddafi was, according to A's "advisor", on an orange notice – imminent threat to public safety. Demanding the provisional arrest of a head of state would we problematic, to say the least.
Not figuring that out makes the report seem a bit gullible.
Rest of it seems to be same old same old – yanks don't like wikileaks, onward extradition, demands for declarations of immunity (in essence), his accusers didn't act in the approapriate way for victims, and so on. Rape apology groundhog day.
"Rape apology groundhog day."
DrowsyMKram + 1
UK version of gtimo, huh. Lols.
If he'd never set foot in the embassy, he would have been a free man within a couple of years. Then he might have been able to skip the country when the yanks finally made their move.
He stuffed himself good and proper, because he didn't want to face sexual assault proceedings.
And the Ecuador government grants asylum on the grounds that rape charges are pending .
Really?
Asylum was granted on Ecuadorean recognition that Assange was a political refugee.
Who knew that Obama had qualms about press freedom when he'd jailed more whistleblowers than any previous president.
And Assange's prompt re arrest an hour after the arrest for bail jumping points to the fact that Assange and his legal team were right to fear extradition to the US
lol Ecuador got a bargaining chip.
As for the US, it does seem Holder decided against going after Assange. So really, yeah – Assange put himself on ice only to be extradited by the guy he helped get elected.
Quite poetic, really.
But Clinton did win the popular vote.
So convinced was she of a landslide victory she didnt bother to campaign in the very states she needed for an electoral college vote
Cant blame Assange for that
Lucky that's not what I said, then.
But wikileaks' little selective release certainly helped dolt45 get elected. Made a big part of the campaign. <a href="https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/dec/18/john-podesta/its-true-wikileaks-dumped-podesta-emails-hour-afte/">An hour</a> after the "grab 'em by the pussy" tape surfaced, wikileaks announced the podesta email dump. Helpful coincidence, that.
So yeah – pretty fucking poetic if you ask me. He gets so far up his own PR spin that he helps get elected the guy who does the thing the Obama administration decided to avoid (for very good reasons – if the hacking evidence is as thin as it looks so far, the extradition is a serious 1st amendment issue).
"pretty fucking poetic if you ask me" – the schadenfreude is strong in this one.
Gotta say, after almost ten years of this crap I do think it's pretty funny.
He was set to go to Sweden, do his trial, maybe even get found innocent but even if found guilty of rape he wouldn't have spent as long in prison as he spent in the embassy (I don't think Sweden has mandatory minimums, so he'd be on the same scale as every other rapist, just at the lighter end of sentencing). And the yanks didn't have a case in those days. Also – hacking? Wasn't the big fear being charged under the Espionage Act? lol
But no, he locked himself in an apartment for seven years, only to be sold like a secondhand sofa (makes people uncomfortable, is a bit smelly, might as well make some cash) and the guy he helped get elected turned out to have fewer legal scruples that the people he'd been afraid of.
Just "pretty funny"?
You say "smelly", I say 'smeary’.
Several BIG stinks – best put a ‘lid’ on them (hush hush)?
Well, it's not laugh-out-loud material. There's just a pleasing symmettry to the idea that he evaded sexual assault proceedings for so long that the thin excuse he used to justify his evasion ended up becoming reality, brought into actuality by the dictatorial administration he helped get elected.
Ah, "a pleasing symmettry" – how wonderfully abstract.
The delightful plight of the smelly man has barely begun.
Maybe I'll feel bad for him if the yanks actually get a hold of him and sentence him to some insane time. But at the moment, everything that's happened has been the result of his own actions <i>even if he didn't do the alleged sexual assaults</i>.
rape apology groundhog day…
Have you been given a free pass to repeat that statement ad nauseum, flocky?
Or do you enjoy repeating it…
Both…more…something else perhaps…
If you jerks want to keep recycling the rape apology tropes you love, I'll keep recycling the groundhog day reference.
Can't remember many or any tropes being rolled out to be honest. Has anyone been saying "boys will be boys", etc.
Well, you obviously haven't read any of the threads over the years. Look for the comments preceding the phrase "rape apologist", that'll be a good start.
…you just enjoy saying those words…
Some people think if you're not screaming rape 20 times a day then you condone it.
Because minimising the allegations and casting aspersions on the complainants and anyone who agrees with them is <i>totally</i> like " not screaming rape 20 times a day " 🙄
Rape apology groundhog day.
Facepalm after facepalm. The doco tells how one woman claimed that Assange wouldn't use a condom and pinned her down so he could fuck her without one. The doco maker then spends an inordinate amount of time on the rape apologist meme "The victim's subsequent behaviour doesn't match my expectations of how a victim of sexual violence should behave, therefore I'm implying but carefully not stating explicitly that she's falsely accused this poor chap." Ugly, ugly shit, replicated at length in comments threads on this blog.
Hat tip for noobs at sex: if sex with you results in women feeling they need to talk to a police officer, ur doin it wrong.
Psycho That is pretty unobjective. I would question the value of either the woman or the documentary maker. I wouldn't be prepared to believe either of them. Then you turn your subjective slant on people here. Unreasonable.
Do you imagine that whom you believe or disbelieve counts for something outside your own head?
PM
Vice versa mate.
Which is why we have courts.
Well, of course. I wouldn't say that if I thought my own beliefs or disbeliefs were significant outside my own head.
However, identifying rape apologia when people are peddling it doesn't involve believing or disbelieving anyone, just the ability to parse a sentence and the ability to recognise an argument that's being made.
Also, what McFlock said.
"Ugly, ugly shit, replicated at length in comments threads on this blog."
Admire the vision of Assange and others who founded WikiLeaks. The pretence that my on-going appreciation of that vision, and concern over the likely outcome of the current Assange extradition process, makes me a ‘rape apologist’ is perverse. And ugly.
I haven't noticed you posting rape apologia on this blog. Admittedly, that could simply be inattention on my part – do you feel that that description applies to your comments?
You might not have noticed. In answer to your question, I have my doubts.
When McFlock commented that widespread public admiration of Saville, Cosby and Assange had helped them to conceal their sexual offending (OK, alleged sexual offending in Assange's case, but let's not quibble), I felt uneasy. Had my admiration for Assange's achievements clouded my judgement, and (much worse) contributed (in a small way) to his ability to evade trial?
Most of us probably admire many people (Cosby was a gifted comedian, IMO), and may have on occasion expressed that admiration. If one of these admired people was subsequently revealed to be a monster, would the admirer(s) be cupable?
I'd prefer that labels such as 'rape apologist' and 'whatever-a-phobe' be applied accurately. IMHO rape apologia labels have been used too frequently for point scoring and in attempts to bolster weak positions or shut down arguments.
Rape apologia labels have certainly enjoyed extensive use on this blog, and not only in posts and comments regarding Assange. A 'tiny' Assange-focused sample can be found in these posts from 2015: https://thestandard.org.nz/all-apologies/ (332 comments) https://thestandard.org.nz/finally/ (500 comments)
Fair enough, but when such terms are 'weaponised', examine motive. The same goes for barbs about mental health, intellectual capacity, etc. etc.
The comments in the "Finally" thread included:<blockquote> ..and one of them was a CIA agent….weird that…honey traps? </blockquote>
That looks to me like a spurious denial a rape occurred.
Recently, commenters have referred to deliberatley not wearing a condom (against the partner's wishes), pinning someone to the bed, and penetrating a sleeping person (again, without a condom contrary to the person's expressed wishes on safe sex), as "poor sexual etiquette".
That looks to me like minimisation of what is legally and ethically rape.
To me, spurious denial and minimisation both fit rationally into the description "rape apology"
If/when the evidence (victim statements, etc.) is presented to a court, then it can be evaluated together with other evidence – hopefully the (alleged) victims will not have to attend the trial(s) (if that's how Swedish courts do things) unless they wish to. The victim accounts are persuasive (I believe them), but what I believe is not legally material.
Seems unlikely to me that US interests will let Assange anywhere near a Swedish court prior to extradition to the US, but an arrangment that affords the opportunity to try Assange in Sweden at some point is not out of the question.
Agreed, the comments you describe fit the criteria for rape apology.
Is Assange a rapist? I'd like to know.
If the Swedes reactivate their case, it's an interesting question of whether it takes precedent over any US extradition case.
Assange skipped bail at the end of the extradition proceedings for Sweden, so if there'd been no suspension then he'd just be put on a plane to Stockholm after the absconding charge is dealth with. But the suspension/reactivation maybe means they need to start from scratch.
I'm not familiar with any cases where multiple countries have tried to extradite.the same person. Maybe if goes on a first come, first served basis. I dunno.
As for wanting to know – he's the one who tried as hard as possible to stop that from going to court. His legal team and supporters are the ones who lied from the start, with claims that the sexual assault charges were "sex by surprise", and that bullshit about orange vs red notices. There's also the discrepancies about what his lawyer was told about Assange leaving Sweden, and how Assange's departure related to being informed about the likely result of a second interview.
Personally, I think the CIA and so on sat back in amazement and watched an egotistical jerk completely stuff himself at the height of his global influence and relevance.
Is he a rapist in those two instances? In the absence of a trial, all we can do is believe the women. So, probably.
A good many were pretty pleased that the question was out there.
The answer is now largely immaterial in the greater scheme, but I'd still like to know – goes to Assange’s personal credibility (cf. WikiLeaks.)
Not really: Assange is not wikileaks. That's actually the point: the information is distributed without a bona fide source. It's the reaction to the information that shows its legitimacy.
Assange was in contact with Manning, but for all Assange knew, Manning was supplying tainted goods on behalf of the Russians. But the most damaging material was genuine, because the yanks admitted it and the material was unique (ISTR Russia once got caught releasing Call of Duty footage as airstrike footage lol).
What goes to wikileaks' credibility are actions like releasing material that was selectively edited, like the Podesta stuff. Whether that was edited by the Russians or by wikileaks (probably too much material for Assange to do it himself), that's the stuff that hurts Wikileaks' credibility. It goes from being an information distributor to being a biased information filter.
Assange is just a dude, like anyone else. If he did commit rape, wikileaks could still be a net good (despite some real fails in the last few years, showing bias and endangering people e.g. doxxing women voters in turkey).
Most of us probably admire many people (Cosby was a gifted comedian, IMO), and may have on occasion expressed that admiration. If one of these admired people was subsequently revealed to be a monster, would the admirer(s) be cupable?
Nope. The alleged perp may also have done many admirable things and admiring those things isn't rape apology.
Rape apologia consists of attempts to minimise the significance of what occurred, to find reasons to excuse the alleged perpetrator or to try and discredit the complainant. Examples of those things appear in the linked documentary and in The Standard's comments threads about Assange.
Here I was thinking the doco goes over some of the agreed facts of the case, and finds many facets of the allegations raise questions. I think you're confusing common sense with rape apology.
Well, most of the doco was on wikileaks and the yanks. A portion of the doco was on some of the facts of the case, and the rest was on guys saying women didn't act like they reckon someone who was sexually assaulted would act.
So you were only a little bit off.
…many facets of the allegations raise questions.
The most important of those questions being "If your approach to sexual intercourse results in women feeling the need to attend a police station, is it time to re-think your approach to sexual intercourse?"
However, the secondary one is only slightly less important: "If you find yourself coming up with reasons why women who've laid a complaint about non-consensual sexual activity shouldn't be believed, is it time to re-think your attitude to consent?"
You're forgetting the reason for visiting the police was for an STD check, and when it came to giving evidence over any assault occurring it was refused.
We're talking about one disputed incident of non-consensual sex amongst earlier consensual sex before and after. Which means applying a brain to what is alleged, and looking at all the facts around what happened. Something your argument refuses to do.
You're forgetting the reason for visiting the police was for an STD check, and when it came to giving evidence over any assault occurring it was refused.
I'm not forgetting the two women went to see if the police would force Assange to undergo an STD test after he allegedly fucked both of them without a condom in spite of their demand that he use one, no. That's why I suggested that your sexual activities should not leave women feeling the need to visit a police station.
We're talking about one disputed incident of non-consensual sex amongst earlier consensual sex before and after.
Do you know there's a single word for that weasel phrase "non-consensual sex?" There's a clue in the term "rape apologist." In that one sentence we have two fine examples: minimisation of the alleged crime (not two rapes, just one) and the assumption that prior or subsequent instances of consensual sex rule out the possibility of rape.
Oh, indeed, whenever I want a piss test or any of my other sexual health needs met, I pop down to the local police station. Because in any developed society, the blue lights show people where they can get the blue pills. [slow
gonorrheaclap]Julian Assange put through 'hell' at embassy, says former diplomat
Fidel Narvaez says Assange was "100% respectful" but claims he suffered from a government plot to force him out.
Kirsty Johnston again highlights the precarious situation of non ACC disabled New Zealanders in this hard hitting article.
Limited showers, no meal prep: 'Ruthless' plans to cut disabled care revealed
An earlier article, published on the 14th March so lost in the aftermath of events on the 15th, describes the difficulty in accessing supports and the relief of one family when the child's disability was accepted by ACC for cover.
Every hour is questioned' – Advocates say Health Ministry quietly reducing funding for disabled after ruling out big cuts
I would love to spend the day here trying to argue the case…so many here simply don't or won't accept that the fightback from disability groups to the End of Life Choice Bill (I am not a member of any of these groups btw) is founded in the absolute fact that non ACC disabled are being slowly starved of funding for vital supports….leading to people feeling that they would be better off without this unbearable suffering.
But I'm busy. Got to get the house ready to sell…need to get enough not only to find a smaller but equally wheelchair friendly house to live in but to also fund vital mobility equipment that we heard this week the agency contracted by the Misery of Health to administer the equipment and modifications budget refuses to fund.
The Ministry of Health Disability Support Services and the successive governments that have backed them really are a bunch of arseholes.
lprent…This Luddite is struggling a bit with the 'easier' system. Very frustrating hitting 'backspace' to correct and losing all my text. My fault entirely…just thought I'd give you good reason to chuckle at the misery of the technologically challenged.
Sorry to shout.
http://community.scoop.co.nz/2019/04/planned-funding-cuts-paint-a-grim-picture-for-disabled-care/
Documents obtained by the New Zealand Disability Support Network (NZDSN) reveal the Ministry was planning to cut up to $10 million from disability support services by June as an initial step towards addressing a $90 million deficit.
IHC Director of Advocacy Trish Grant says it shows the Ministers recognise the impact of cuts on the most vulnerable people with intellectual disabilities as a group that has been left behind for too long.
Thanks for the link Rosemary, sobering reading but again, not batting an eyelid anymore. I can recall about 15-20 years ago when CCDHB suddenly decided a whole lot of disabilities overnight no longer were, at least not when it came to qualifying for any home based support out of them.
What I will never understand is the general logic behind all of this. Is it a case of the individual agencies MoH/DHBs/ACC/MSD only thinking about their own budgets? Why can't they do a serious holistic cost benefit analysis that will inevitably show that cutbacks in one area is just going to increase the cost to another agency, plus extra due to avoidable deterioration. I'm sure even the most supportive general public would object to avoidable cost if they knew it was happening.
Oh I forgot- bureacracy = logic + reason , ha ha, silly me, what was I thinking…
I emailed Kirsty Johnston earlier this morning and asked if it were possible to see the referenced documents, and bless her, within a few minutes they landed in my inbox. I see she has now put most of them as a footer to the Herald article.
Those not familiar with how these pricks think should really read their way through them…reminding themselves every few minutes that it is actual live human beings with sometimes total dependency on hands on help from others that are being discussed.
You and I Kay don't need to read them….because we know…but reading them is reassuring as it confirms our suspicions are well founded.
As a footnote to Kirsty this morning I wrote, ' The cost overruns are due to burdensome bureaucracy and the vile
stupidity of having two state funded and administrated systems
providing the same service for those with permanent impairments.
We are simply not a big enough country to be running two systems.'
Which is saying pretty much along the same lines as you.
Hey, Kay, we should apply for positions as Advisors!
I like the advisor idea, only if they pay me under the table…that small matter of one can't avoid declaring taxable income to Winz
On the other had, I don't think their poor little bureaucratic minds could cope with us!
I have read some of them. Makes me sick.
Bastards. I know a bit first hand the treatment disabled and elderly get from Waikato Disability Support Services.
Brigid …the treatment disabled and elderly get from Waikato Disability Support Services.
Yes. DSL. One of the more interesting and ultimately frustrating exercises my partner and I had to go through in the past few years was requesting and receiving his file from DSL. I'd like to think you'd be surprised at the level of incompetence we found…but sadly, you won't be. We learned a few years ago to conduct all communications with them via email…really quite frightening that they are happy to lay their failings out in writing for all to see.
Funding in narrow silos is a well-known problem with our state system. It does not make sense even on the narrowest cost-benefit terms. And that is without considering the huge extra pain and wasted energy.
I was thinking if this is the new way of doing things with kindness from our government, Then I'd really hate to see what it means if they weren't following that doctrine.
That said, when you come to the table tethered to neo-liberalism economics, and the wholesale commodification of human beings – we can't really expect anything less.
It looks like the Minister/s in charge may have quashed this behaviour, probably with promises of Budget increases next month. Fixing the inhuman culture in some managers will take more than that.
Perusing the emails Sacha, it seems there are still a few long term incumbents participating in this exercise. Names that have been attached to emails and mentioned in dispatches since just about forever. So, still aways to go methinks.
I did email (and I'm pretty sure a whole heap of other stirrers did too
) JAG a while back after looking at her diary and seeing who in the disability sector she was meeting with. No! No! I wrote, '…don't confine your discussions to those who have been 'meeting with ministers' over the past 10years or so'….especially those from the Miserly and NZDSN.
Clearly it worked. /sarc.
How could you possibly bring this article to peoples attention? After all you wouldn't want anyone to think that our kind caring Government won't do anything to look after disabled people. It wouldn't go with the image of a PM they are pushing so hard would it?
When I was reading the article there were a couple of things that stood out. The first was that the spending had risen in the last 5 years but we couldn't afford it any longer and that about $100 million had to be saved. The second was that the Minister talking about it was Julie Anne Genter.
"Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter said decisions about who received support were made by the ministry, and it had not been directed to cut funding by ministers." Well she would claim that it had nothing to do with her wouldn't she?
"it had increased funding to the $1.268 billion disability support sector each year for five years, but could no do so longer." Instead they want to cut out, by stealth $100 million/year. See https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12223776
So we had steady increases from National and a clamp down on the expenditure by the current lot.
Where have I seen this Minister and this amount of money recently? Oh yes, in the Dom/Post we had a story about how the Government, pushed along by Genter, are going to spend that much money on a walk cum cycle way between Ngauranga and Petone. That is about 6 km and goes from nowhere to nowhere.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/111987243/nzta-approves-funding-for-shared-walkway-and-cycleway-between-petone-and-ngauranga
So she can find a $100 million to allow about 50 cyclists a day, in summer, to pedal along the side of the harbour. There will also be about 50 pedestrians a year doing the same, at least by my estimate. Lets face it. It is about a 2 hour walk and about all you can do at Ngauranga is to be collected by someone in a car or spend another hour walking into the city. In winter of course you might get 50 cyclists a week.
Well so much for spending scarce money on people who need it. Genter's hobbies are much more important.
Thanks Rosemary for that Link – I heard about it independently this morning.
The clear take away from this is that our government needs to raise more revenue to fund the on-going costs of providing services to NZers, and it needs to do it now.
The great tax giveaway by the last govt was always going to be at the expense of those within NZ who were the most vulnerable; and so it proves to be. We cannot even implement a CGT in this country – whereas such a tax is almost universal world wide – because in our heart of hearts, NZ baby boomers, and Gen Xers, are by and large so greedy, that any suggestion we might have to fork out a bit of our "hard earned cash" to help others (or even ourselves in later life) is an anathema.
You did see that the money for this work had risen every year for the last 5 years didn't you? In other words a National Government increased the budget each year and it is only the current mob who are cutting it. But you don't want to believe that do you so you will just ignore the facts of the matter..
Alwyn…I'll be very pissed off if I have to spend precious getting the house ready to sell time finding the documents to back up your claim that National increased the disability spend. Prove it you idle so and so!
As others will tell you…the increase by no means matched the increase in demand and population.
In fact…if I recall it might actually have amounted to less per capita…
yes Rosemary it did
Unfortunately Macro it is not just about the money. It is Labour, way back when Annette King birthed the Public Health and Disability Act 2000 who gave the Ministry of Health responsibility for the care of non ACC permanently foobarred. The Ministry of Health promptly contracted out every single aspect of Disability Support Services, including the Needs Assessment and Service Coordination. MOH DSS set policy only…and a pretty poor job they've done of that.
The Misery (because the PHDAct says it has to) 'consults' with stakeholders…who almost inevitably have had some financial relationship with the Ministry (providers, NGOs, 'charities' representing the interests of disabled folk and carers and the like) who have, unsurprisingly been inclined to go along with policy so as not to lose their funding. Snouts in the trough and all rather incestuous.
No wonder we now have this mutant spawn.
MOH bureaucrats are amoung the highest paid in the Public Service and for many years have been lead by a some rather odd types.
It is the bureaucrats that are the biggest waste of money…
Actually Rosemary by world standards NZ's Health Bureaucracy is one of the most efficient – ranking 2nd in the world behind Australia.
as you can see in this chart here:
https://www.commonwealthfund.org/sites/default/files/images/charts/___media_images_interactives_and_data_chart_maps_chartcart_report_2017_mirror_mirror_image_02.jpg
Our health outcomes are not so good and this is due to the fact that our health sector has been consistently underfunded for years. So much so that our mental health services are almost non existent in some parts of the country. How does this happen? Because government have over the years pandered to middle class voters who demand more and more tax cuts and yes Labour has some blame to share on this but the past decade has been the result of Bill English's largess with tax cuts to buy the votes from the voting public which quite frankly the country could not afford. Labour have been left with a huge govt deficit and in order to gain sufficient backing inorder to not put off support you will remember that Labour and the Greens signed up to a "Fiscal Responsibility Bill" this has effectively hamstrung the current administration from raising further revenue by way of increasing tax take and the result is just where we are now.
You and I can rail as much as we like! but until there is more money flowing into the governments coffers the situation is only going to stay the same or deteriorate as more elderly become a burden on the Health system.
Macro…lookitthat…yet another measuring tool!
However, when you look at what our own SSC found when doing the 2017 Performance Improvement Framework Review …there were serious concerns with the upper levels of management at the Misery.
In fact overall..its a pretty dismal read.
http://www.ssc.govt.nz/sites/all/files/pif-review-health-dec2017.pdf
So if we're 2nd in the world for 'efficiency'….?
Well that's the whole point Rosemary – if our Health System is considered pretty efficient, but we are still failing in many areas, ( we fall to 7th in health outcomes and access, and 8th for equity for instance) then it has to be something else. And as you have pointed out, while funding has increased in dollar terms, it certainly hasn't kept up with the increasing needs of a growing and ageing population. This as I have pointed out is the major constraint on our failing Health system – we have a very good model – one of the best in the world – but it is not being funded adequately – you can't keep on squeezing a lemon and expecting to get more from it. And the constraint on funding falls directly back on the ability of the government to raise funds. National increased the debt level thru borrowing to fund such things as Health and Education to around $62 B NZ.
https://tradingeconomics.com/new-zealand/government-debt
But you have to pay that back at some point. And they were forced to do this because they gave away so much in tax "relief" to people who in most cases didn't really need it.
Is there a separate reckoning of disability support services, rather than health? Not the same thing. Most of our health system is indeed efficient and well-managed compared with many other countries.
Yes there are NGO's that provide support services and they source funding both from Govt and elsewhere, but govt funding for disability services is primarily channeled through the Ministry of Health.
https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/services-and-support/disability-services
Support services are via MoH, yes, but other NZ disability funding cuts across many agencies – all adds up to over $3b/yr. In some countries it’s funded and delivered differently, including via local bodies.
Does the Commonwealth Fund report on disability separately from health?
Rosemay McD & Macro
All the best with the house price. The pictures I see have all the lights on as it gets to late afternoon – makes the place look welcoming.
And there is the idea of baking bread (Not to be confused with breaking bad) – my favourite smell is buns with cumin seed sprinkled on them.
Efficiency and distribution – two different aspects of health budget Macro.
And does that efficiency actually measure what counts.
If it is devised by USA sources even WHO maybe they have a sweet spot for high salaries for the top people as we have in NZ also.
Grey – our Health System actually stacks up pretty well compared to other countries apart from Aussie wrt administrative efficency
https://www.commonwealthfund.org/sites/default/files/images/charts/___media_images_interactives_and_data_chart_maps_chartcart_report_2017_mirror_mirror_image_02.jpg
aj.
Thats an illuminating doco
Its incredible to see how media coverage has changed from supporting Assange back in 2010, when the Swedish allegations were widely viewed with suspicion, to where we’re at now with infantile reports of shit -on-the -walls etc and kitty litter, all designed to engender disgust
Since 2012 there has been an extensive campaign of character assassination and journalists have almost universally joined in a hideous blood lust lynching spree to mock, deride and shame one of their own , and thus erode any support for Assange in his life and death struggle for freedom , his and our own
Lets not forget that Ecuador granted him political asylum, not asylum from rape charges
At any rate there was absolutely no reason why Sweden couldn’t have pursued the investigation and charged Assange in absentia, if they were so adamant they couldn’t travel to the UK.After all for over a year and a half, Assange was under house arrest and had made himself available.
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201603061035874931-sweden-russian-national-crime/
As far as the bail jumping goes , his 550 or so days under house arrest , replete with electronic ankle bracelets would surely equal any actual jail time.
Anyone who doesn’t smell the strong reek of geopolitics here has a serious case of anosmia
If the USA investigated war crimes with the same venom they pursue whistle blowers they may regain some moral authority. As it is they have none.
A useful stand in
Francesca, I fail to see why you do not become a stand in for Julian Assange. He has nice ways with women. He is adept at hacking – although he sometimes avoids it in order to hang the blame for stealing information on weaker persons.
He sees himself as the one person in the world who can decide the future of the USA or Australia or Timbuctoo.
He has methods of avoiding police requests to attend Court. On top of which he has massive support from people who believe in the theft of private information.
According to reports within Turkey, he holds virtually complete personal information on nearly every Turkey Female.
(Do you happen to know if John Key and Mr English have handed over all private documents of NZ Citizens to the Government. Key and English did a lot of shuffling.
Well yes, the idea that it was "total exoneration" was always "total bullshit". Looks like someone showed the jellybaby Joffrey the picture-book edition of the Mueller report, and the dummy got spat into orbit.
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/20/politics/donald-trump-mueller-report-anger/index.html
After a lifetime punching down, tRump has absolutely no idea about how to defend himself. As with most bullies, the prospect of an opponent fighting back terrifies him and his obvious weakness undermines the feigned machismo that his base laps up. Consequently, he's reduced to pissing and moaning and venting his spleen on those closest to him. That's all he's got.
btw, his legal woes run at 5,200 and 300 ±
…and just because we all need a laugh now and again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76OlqSd_5k8
OMG! How can we have any faith in the Americans?
It reminds me of that old WW2 joke: When the Germans bomb, the British duck. When the British bomb the Germans duck. When the American bomb, everyone ducks!
Read Catch-22 for confirmation.
lol – thanks Rosemary
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-obstinate-lighthouse/
.
That's interesting joe90 thanks and lolo.
snopes
Do you endorse snopes, joe?
Hilarious!
Thanks for that
A perfect joke that describes the Americans perfectly.
Think I’ve heard it before
Brlliant
Know any trapped angry Labour voters? Tell them they ain't alone. Recommend stoicism because nothing can be done. Tell them to look on the bright side of life, where an endless supply of helpful platitudes can be found. We have a Labour-led government, for instance.
"Labour had to choose between upsetting their own voters or upsetting the centrist voters who hate the thought of a CGT. Labour chose to burn their own voters. Labour would know their own supporters have nowhere to go apart from the Greens, and what is that if not a vote for a left-wing government led by Labour anyway? Angry Labour voters are trapped."
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12223775
It is better to be an enemy than a friend to Labour; If you are their enemy, they will buy you, if you are their friend they will sell you.
As a long time Labour voter, I don't care whether they implement CGT or not, and Labour campaigned at the 2017 election on a working group, not CGT.
The Pyramid of Powerlessness:
4,956,975 residents can do nothing unless they can vote.
3,298,009 eligible voters can do nothing unless they do vote.
2,630,173 voters can do nothing unless they vote for the winning coalition.
120 MPs can do nothing unless they are in Government.
63 CoL MPs can do nothing unless they are Minister.
26 Ministers can do nothing unless they are PM.
1 PM can do nothing unless …
[Unless] it is god's will. Or, following Hobbes, the will of the leviathan of which we are all part:
"The state of nature is the "war of every man against every man," in which people constantly seek to destroy one another. This state is so horrible that human beings naturally seek peace, and the best way to achieve peace is to construct the Leviathan through social contract." https://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/leviathan/summary/
Internet culture wars are reviving the social darwinism described in the early part of the quote, whereas MMP is our current form of the co-constructed latter design.
So, it is our belief (!) that it is the Circle of Powerlessness, which is even worse than a pyramid. Or just (!) a human (social) construct to keep maintain status quo?
Where does the power of/for change come from?
Does power come from strength or strength from power?
Why do we feel weak and fearful?
These are rhetorical questions, BTW.
I don't like grandiose statements like 'The state of nature is the "war of every man against every man". It seems self-serving warping of words to excuse some shitty behaviour that is being rationalised.
Leviathan was apparently written in 1651 and we have moved on to neo-liberalism:
Easily fixed. Don’t let the3,298,009 eligible voters vote, especially the 2,630,173 voters who don’t vote for the coalition. Then none of them will be disillusioned and disgruntled.
I hear you! If democracy no longer sparks joy we should get rid of it and replace it with something better.
BTW, 1,165,150 votes were for the opposition parties and 1,305,333 for the CoL.
You're a sour one Peter. The take you have on comments must reflect your regular viewpoint, which doesn't appear constructive.
Hey lprent: the new system works !!!
Can someone explain exactly how our PM could have got a CGT passed without Cabinet approval? In other words, without NZF's agreement. It is an MMP government not a one party government (in other words an authoritarian dictatorship). It amazes me that people here think Jacinda can accede to whatever is on their Wishlist. Life is not like that and there always has to be compromise. Instead of moaning about what hasn't or can't be done, think at what has been done. Nothing will ever be perfect and there will always be much more to be done. From my limited knowledge surely a CGT would be very expensive to implement and operate and would be a gold mine for lawyers and accountants. And as they say about universal super, it is straightforward and less expensive to operate, rather than what a means tested super would be.
I am proud of our PM and her achievements.
tRrump insisted on bilateral trade negotiations because he thinks it gives him the whiphand, and then complains when his supposed trading partner two-times him with other nations. Man's an idiot.
https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/1119589161776947200
https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Interview/US-seeks-level-playing-field-in-Japan-trade-talks-ambassador-says
Sir Dave rings the bell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ypaUH57MO4&feature=youtu.be
So bad – the haters keep hating and innocent people keep being murdered.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/112184313/at-least-20-dead-after-easter-bombings-in-sri-lanka
It isn't over, a seventh explosion just happened and the death toll is now at 156.
Horrible murderers.
Nothing on Sri Lankan BC's English language service.
http://220.247.227.20:8000/RSLstream
http://www.slbc.lk/index.php/stations/coverage
Seems aimed at Christianity and tourists going by the timing and places. On looking further it seems that Sri Lanka is not conducting good faith actions towards Tamils and that the grievances after eight years, sufficient time to make change required, have not seen sufficient done to assist the Tamil.
https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news/2018/10/30/sri-lanka-old-land-issues-and-new-appointment-threaten-reconciliation <em> Hopes for national reconciliation took another blow last week when the country’s president, Maithripala Sirisena, abruptly appointed the controversial former leader who oversaw the 2009 military offensive, Mahinda Rajapaksa, as prime minister. The surprise move has locked Sri Lanka in a political crisis: the ousted prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has vowed to stay in office; government ministers who support him have denounced his dismissal as “an anti-democratic coup”. </em>
Sorry the comment is a dog’s breakfast but I am finding it
hard to cope with the settings etc. I had prepared a quick overview but had to get rid of so much code applying to a map that I deleted it all, worked off-line and brought it back, then had to throw half of that away because it was riddled with coding. Some basic info is left and just readable.
But after reading the reports on Sri Lanka I think there will be more violence. It has got down to what have we got to lose from those with a grievance I think.
https://www.brookings.edu/research/sri-lankas-presidential-elections-progress-regression-or-paralysis/
Christian and Muslim clerics standing together says something about the possible origins of the extremists.
https://twitter.com/mohammedlsm/status/1119574107610320896
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Methodist-Church-attacked-in-Anuradhapura%3B-bishop-held-hostage-with-the-faithful-46790.html
BBC reporter in Colombo
https://twitter.com/AzzamAmeen/status/1119894480050692096
Sounds pretty right.
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/keynote/autocrats-face-rising-resistance
Unlike traditional dictators, today’s would-be autocrats typically emerge from democratic settings. Most pursue a two-step strategy for undermining democracy: first, scapegoat and demonize vulnerable minorities to build popular support; then, weaken the checks and balances on government power needed to preserve human rights and the rule of law, such as an independent judiciary, a free media, and vigorous civic groups. Even the world’s established democracies have shown themselves vulnerable to this demagoguery and manipulation.
Autocratic leaders rarely solve the problems that they cite to justify their rise to power, but they do create their own legacy of abuse. At home, the unaccountable government that they lead becomes prone to repression, corruption, and mismanagement. Some claim that autocrats are better at getting things done, but as they prioritize perpetuating their own power, the human cost can be enormous, such as the hyperinflation and economic devastation in once oil-rich Venezuela, the spree of extrajudicial killings as part of the “drug war” in the Philippines, or China’s mass detention of upwards of 1 million Turkic Muslims, primarily Uyghurs.
Pathetic display of our own Dr 'scrooge" grant Robisin claiming "we cant do everything at once, – it will take at least three terms".
He is an idiot as the sea is comming now to claim the coastal areas and will destroy all lives and properties well before his magic time of 9 years or more to change direction.
Shallow man that must be sacked for his wreckless lack of urgency..
Kia ora Newshub.
Grant its all very well putting laws on social media so long as those laws don't stop free speach there is a big difference between frees speech and Hate speech I know that the state servants want to shut eco Maori down . The big tech companies have to much power to be pushed around to much anyway.
Kiwi buy skeem sounds good but I will wait and see how it goes the Crown keeps part of the value of the house so people can have a small $10. 000 deposit .
With Sri Lanka what a crying shame I didn't get time to edit last night I don't no exactly what going on there but it's a power struggle between religious factions there is no need we are all HUMANS
That old landfill down south that is being washed out to sea its is just the tip of the ice berger there will be more of those situations happening in the near future .
I'm running on a treadmill for half hour a day for the rest of my life the sandflys keeps blocking my music to try and stop my exercise system they don't want Eco Maori to live a minute longer YEA RIGHT I will get a USB stick and put my music on that try and block that muppets.
Mark the reason Earic is sitting across from you is the Thunder and lightning of ECO MAORI .
With the 20 years ago Colombia desaster I say we need to value love more love your nabour love you self love the wild life love the future love our past tipuna ansesters You see the way things are Europeans treat love as a emotion that is suppressed I had a friend who was crying out for love from his mother and father but they didn't get it I was to young to get it he was European and wealthy he passed by his own hands he was my best friend he just needed to loved that is what I see now when I look back on things. I tell my children I love them when ever I can to support there WAIRUA even when they piss me off.
Amda the squirrels were quite cute hope they have a good life.
I agree Sri Lanka has been hit hard by tsunami and now that desaster and there tourists economy is going to be negatively effected . Ka kite ano P.S Ma te wa
Whanau there is one substance that is the scrounge of some tangata whenua O Atoearoa here are some of the phenomenon linked to this poison. 1
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/101231280/fact-check-disparities-between-mori-and-pkeh
Well that link shows a few stats that are linked to colonialism and the substance. 2
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/10/maori-over-represented-in-prisons-due-to-colonisation-report.amp.html
Its a crying shame what I see happening to my WHANAU. 3
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/10/maori-over-represented-in-prisons-due-to-colonisation-report.amp.html
I wish I could do more to help our Mokopuna but I'm battleing to keep my immediate whanau and Mokopuna SAFE.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/07/29/169208/deafening-silence-on-racial-wealth-gap
Money big money is spent on this shit it is causing a collapse of Maori Mana and taking out a lot of Maori leader once they try it some are hooked up on the shit for life. That substance is PEE crack up A.
WEll not from were Im looking at my WHANAU dropping out of the system some mite think it's a crack up but NOT FUCKEN ECO MAORI.
https://youtu.be/fKopy74weus
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute
https://youtu.be/jNZcf8WtBiY
You see whanau it's the tamariki /children who suffer the most from war from suppression from all the hate that is being served up around the world the tamariki suffering in silence PEE is the same I have said who is pushing that shit and that is the truth
<blockquote>You see whanau it's the tamariki /children who suffer the most from war </blockquote>
Yeah, nah, pretty sure it's the servicepeople getting shot up and blown up and killed and maimed who have it the worst.
Whanau we have to drop old RARU RARU we have to learn to forgive but not forget. Alot of these RARU RARU were from a time when our tipuna were in charge so Eco Maori says they should be passed on into the back of our minds.
Whanau we have to help each other we have to Tau toko other Maori first and formost not put them down don't shit on OUR OWN help our leaders lead and grow Maori Mana don't behave like eels tuna in a bucket and keep pulling our leaders back down there ladders of Life MAORIDOM need leaders and we need to look after them ourselves.
As you can see from my post that the state system is not doing Maori any favours it is actually tying both of our feet together limiting our climb up our ladder of life Maori needs to build a big Maunga for our Mokopuna future because times are only going to get HARDER is what ECO MAORI sees
Ka kite ano.
https://youtu.be/FM7MFYoylVs
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/FotCW5OIFZc
This is a better waiata for the above post
Kia ora Newshub.
Wow those helicopter rescue operators must have been having fun I know how rough Tawhirirmate can be down there on the Auckland island . When I was last down there I lost a friend he was a skipper dragged over board with his fish gear he was trying to recover $50.000 worth.
That's cool that the students got to get there temporary NZ passport back Eco Maori is not against imagination but when it displaces the local tangata mahi that pisses me off like what happened in the dairy industry .
Aotearoa has to adapt to the bigger ships and cruise ships bigger ships are more efficient and will burn less carbon that's good for the environment and the way of the future .
Its about time that more of the truth comes out about Boeing planes faults the truth is power it shows no one is to big to be held accountable .
The tornado water spouts in the Haraki Golf shows how much power a beautiful glory Tawhirirmate HAS.
Happy birthday day to the young fella.
All the best to the expecting couple.
The Kaikoura earthquake as a good one its good to see students learning about Tangaroa and his beautiful creatures we could get a big earthquake like that anytime
Ka kite ano
https://youtu.be/qQfetkoGrpU